Amy Sedaris

Like many other great comic talents, writer/actress/author Amy Sedaris honed her skills at Chicago's famed Second City Theater before making her mark as a comedienne. Her bizarre role on Comedy Centra...
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17 Lessons In Friendship We Learned From 'Broad City'

Have you started watching Broad City yet? The Comedy Central series was created by two besties – Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer – who star on the show as versions of themselves. These New York City broads get into all kinds of outrageous shenanigans, but at the show’s core, it’s a story about real female friendship. It’s been compared to Girls, but if you like Girls, we think you’ll like Broad City even better. It returns for season two in January! Here’s what Abbi and Ilana have taught us so far about friendship:
1. Celebrating your birthdays together - while looking fab - is a must.
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2. When you need money for a girls' night out (or a Lil Wayne concert), stealing office supplies is sometimes necessary.
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3. A Bed, Bath &amp; Beyond bestie shopping trip is always in order. Because the coupons NEVER expire.
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4. If your bestie doesn’t hear from you, she’ll immediately think you’ve been SVU’d.
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5. Double dating doesn’t always work out the way you want it to.
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6. Getting drunk together is always more fun.
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7. Be comfortable enough around each other to make ugly faces.
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8. Getting maced can be a bonding experience.
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9. Have hobbies you can share together.
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10. Encourage expensive purchases (you can always return them later).
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11. Ogling guys on the basketball court is always an acceptable pastime.
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12. Sometimes you need to just call it a night so you can go home and watch Netflix.
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13. Support each other's financial successes. (Preferably with a sweet rap video fantasy.)
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14. Always figure out who is the Bey and who is the Jay of the relationship.
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15. Be a supportive wingwoman while your friend is trying to flirt.
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16. Help each other stay sane while apartment hunting.
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17. Always be prepared to literally lift each other up.
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There you have it! A friendship to last a lifetime.
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Getty Images/Jason LaVeris
If there’s something strange with your comedy sequel, and things don’t look good, who you gonna call? Well, if the movie in question is Ghostbusters 3, you’re gonna call Paul Feig and hope that he can bring his golden touch to the troubled threequel. According to THR, the The Heat director is in talks to helm the film, which has been looking for someone to fill the opening left by Ivan Reitman, who left the project following Harold Ramis’ death in March. In addition to the new direction, Ghostbuster 3 will also be getting a makeover, and will reportedly center on an all-female team of parapsychologists.
Though the news has unsurprisingly been met with resistance from some fans who are reluctant to let go of the male characters they’re comfortable with, the general response from fans and critics has been positive with many looking forward to seeing the franchise get a breath of fresh air. And while it will likely be difficult seeing new faces in the ghostbusters’ jumpsuits – after all, who could possibly replace Bill Murray? – it shouldn’t be hard to find plenty of talented funny ladies who would be up for the challenge, and perfect for the roles. In case Feig is looking for a few casting suggestions, we’ve matched some of the best comedic actresses currently working with the original character archetypes to give him a sense of who would be perfect for Ghostbusters 3. You know, after Melissa McCarthy has been cast.
For the Peter Venkman Character: As the perpetually bored, slightly mischevious Gina Linetti on Brooklyn Nine Nine, Chelsea Peretti has proved that she has the right wit and attitude to take on Murray’s most famous role, along with just enough sweetness to match his heart of gold. Likewise, Jessica Williams has had the perfect showcase for her cynical, sarcastic side on The Daily Show, which would give the character the right amount of edge. And while Kaitlin Olson’s most famous character is better known for her jaded, sarcastic attitude and biting insults, the actress herself is equally capable of handling light-hearted moments, and she could use a breakout film role; as could Aisha Tyler, whose intelligent, dry wit and warm personality would make her an ideal team leader. Vote below, and read on to see who should play the Ray, the Egon, the Leon, and the Winston.
For the Ray Spatz Character: Though Kristen Schaal might be best-known for raunchy, shocking stand up persona, one only needs to watch a few episodes of Gravity Falls or Bob’s Burgers to know that she’s just as hilarious when playing wide-eyed, uninhibited enthusiasm... with an edge. Though they're often obnoxious and in-your-face, Jenny Slate's characters often still have some growing up to do, and her run as Marcel the Shell with Shoes On proves that she's equally adept at being innocent and adorable. Mindy Kaling’s over-the-top, goofy personality would also make her a solid fit for the childlike, excitable character, and if there’s anyone whose carved a niche in Hollywood with naïve, warm-hearted characters, it’s Kaling’s good friend Ellie Kemper, who had turned child-like innocence into an comedy gold. Vote below, and read on to see who should play the Egon, the Leon, and the Winston.
For the Egon Spengler Character: Playing a rigid, focused Egon Spengler-type requires someone who excels at playing the straight-man, and there’s nobody on television who currently does that better than Brooklyn Nine Nine’s Melissa Fumero, whose Amy Santiago is the perfect mix of goofy and Type-A. Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson is also at her most hilarious when she’s attempting to impose some kind of order on things that are beyond her control, and her talent at handling awkward situations is unparalleled. Many of Vanessa Bayer’s best SNL character exhibit a similar tightly-wound, nerdy awkwardness and she’s proven that she can earn laughs with just a few words. Meanwhile, Ana Gasteyer has brought dorky rigidity to new heights on Suburgatory, where she played the competitive perfectionist Shiela Shay. Vote below, and read on to see who should play the Leon and the Winston.
For the Leon Tully Character: Perhaps no actress has turned awkwardness into an art form quite like Miranda Hart, whose nerdy, well-meaning Chummy on Call the Midwife has nothing on the endearingly embarrassing title character in her sitcom Miranda. Likewise, Rachel Dratch has made a career playing a variety of hilarious, uncomfortable weirdoes from the fast-talking, PDA-friendly Denise to the socially-unaware Debbie Downer. But if there’s any actress who could be considered the female counterpart to Rick Moranis, it’s probably Amy Sedaris, whose iconic Jerri Blank is basically a warped version of the awkward, socially-inept but well-meaning nerds that Moranis has specialized in. Vote below, and read on to see who should play the Winston.
For the Winston Zeddemore Character: Though Rosa Diaz is a bit more violent and monotone than the straight-talking voice of reason that is Winston Zeddemore, Stephanie Beatriz has nonetheless proved herself talented at dishing out tough love to the idiots she surrounds herself with, as well as willing to go along with just about anything if there’s something in it for her. Shirley Bennet’s advice-giving, mothering would make Yvette Nicole Brown an excellent choice for the role as well, along with her talent for cutting through nonsense and ability to turn a sermon into a comedic showcase. Gina Torres has similarly specialized in tough, skeptical characters, and she’s especially good at imbuing them all with a slightly goofy sense of humor and warm heart, and though Nasim Pedrad has played plenty of weirdoes, she’s adept finding the funniest way to shake some sense into people – who’s a better voice of reason on SNL than her Arianna Huffington?
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Ali Goldstein/NBC
Thanks to the success of Veep, The Mindy Project, New Girl, Orange Is the New Black and the like, female-driven comedies are no longer the red-headed stepchild of television. Case in point: upcoming Fox pilot Dead Boss, adaptation of a British comedy of the same name. Its cast? So far, almost identical to the guest list to your dream funny lady dinner party.
Jane Krakowski stars in her first post-30 Rock lead role as Helen, a woman falsely accused of murdering her awful boss. Strangers with Candy comedienne and unlikely heir to Martha Stewart's lifestyle queendom Amy Sedaris will play the convict's nosy coworker; and Deadline reports that Saturday Night Live alum Rachel Dratch just signed on as Helen's cellmate, "a sunny but emotionally needy arsonist." Still to be cast is Helen's "trainwreck" sister, her only hope of clearing her name. With how stacked this ensemble is so far, we can only expect another killer name. Is it too early to buy a season pass?
Dead Boss already has serious girl comic pedigree. The original U.K. series was created by Sharon Horgan (Pulling, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret) and stand-up sensation Holly Walsh; it starred Horgan and AbFab legend Jennifer Saunders. So far, the source material is only one six-episode season old. So the impetus is on the U.S. creative team (which includes Suburgatory producer Patricia Breen) to turn the concept into a viable sitcom in an American network structure.
But with Krakowski bringing a touch of Jenna Maroney's high-minded disdain, Sedaris full-on conniving, and Dratch turning up the crazy, we can't help but be hopeful. Are you looking forward to Dead Boss? Let us know in the comments.
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Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul is to lend his voice to a new animated comedy series for online steaming service Netflix. Will Arnett and Amy Sedaris will also voice characters in Bojack Horseman, A Tale of Fear, Loathing and Animals, a cartoon about the life of a washed-up TV horse.
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos says, "Bojack Horseman is a brutally funny and unique take on what can happen after pop stardom. Raphael (Bob-Waksberg, series creator) has created an amazing set of characters voiced by some of the best comics and actors in the world."
The 12-episode series is due to launch internationally on Netflix next year (14).

Everett Collection
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival lineup for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary competition and the out-of-competition NEXT section is officially here, and damn are we excited.
As the festival has evolved and grown, so has the long list of actors and directors who have eagerly jumped on board to be a part of the indie film scene, which means that the lineup of actors for the upcoming event is looking pretty solid. In 2014 we can look forward to seeing the works of those like Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, John Slattery, Aaron Paul, Kristen Stewart, and Mark Ruffalo, and comedians such as Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Lena Dunham, Jenny Slate, Aubrey Plaza, Amy Sedaris, and more.
The festival will run from Jan. 16 to 26 in Park City, Utah and will include 118 features. Still to come are the lineups for Slates for Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, New Frontier, Premieres and Documentary Premieres, and the new Sundance Kids category.
Check out the lineup so far (via Vulture):
DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Camp X-Ray / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Peter Sattler) — A young woman is stationed as a guard in Guantanamo Bay, where she forms an unlikely friendship with one of the detainees. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, J.J. Soria, John Carroll Lynch.Cold in July / U.S.A. (Director: Jim Mickle, Screenwriters: Jim Mickle, Nick Damici) — After killing a home intruder, a small town Texas man's life unravels into a dark underworld of corruption and violence. Cast: Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, Vinessa Shaw, Nick Damici, Wyatt Russell.Dear White People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one's unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.God's Pocket / U.S.A. (Director: John Slattery, Screenwriters: John Slattery, Alex Metcalf) — When Mickey's stepson Leon is killed in a construction "accident," Mickey tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when the boy's mother demands the truth, Mickey finds himself stuck between a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please, and a debt he can’t pay. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks, John Turturro.Happy Christmas / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Joe Swanberg) — After a breakup with her boyfriend, a young woman moves in with her older brother, his wife, and their 2-year-old son. Cast: Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham, Joe Swanberg.Hellion / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kat Candler) — When motocross and heavy metal obsessed, 13-year-old Jacob's delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother Wes with his aunt, Jacob and his emotionally absent father must finally take responsibility for their actions and each other in order to bring Wes home. Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars, Walt Roberts.Infinitely Polar Bear / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maya Forbes) — A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier. Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide.Jamie Marks is Dead / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Carter Smith) — No one seemed to care about Jamie Marks until after his death. Hoping to find the love and friendship he never had in life, Jamie’s ghost visits former classmate Adam McCormick, drawing him into the bleak world between the living and the dead. Cast: Cameron Monaghan, Noah Silver, Morgan Saylor, Judy Greer, Madisen Beaty, Liv Tyler.Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.Life After Beth / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down... Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser.Low Down / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy Jo Albany's memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — Estranged twins Maggie and Milo coincidentally cheat death on the same day, prompting them to reunite and confront the reasons their lives went so wrong. As the twins' reunion reinvigorates them, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.The Sleepwalker / U.S.A., Norway (Director: Mona Fastvold, Screenwriters: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet) — A young couple, Kaia and Andrew, are renovating Kaia´s secluded family estate. Their lives are violently interrupted when unexpected guests arrive. The Sleepwalker chronicles the unraveling of the lives of four disparate characters as it transcends genre conventions and narrative contrivance to reveal something much more disturbing. Cast: Gitte Witt, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Stephanie Ellis.Song One / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kate Barker-Froyland) — Estranged from her family, Franny returns home when an accident leaves her brother comatose. Retracing his life as an aspiring musician, she tracks down his favorite musician, James Forester. Against the backdrop of Brooklyn’s music scene, Franny and James develop an unexpected relationship and face the realities of their lives. Cast: Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Rosenfield.Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.
NEXT
Appropriate Behavior / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Desiree Akhavan) — Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, a politically correct bisexual, and a hip, young Brooklynite, but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold on to can be a lonely experience. Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed. World Premiere.Drunktown's Finest / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) — Three young Native Americans—a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual—come of age on an Indian reservation. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis. World Premiere.The Foxy Merkins / U.S.A. (Director: Madeleine Olnek, Screenwriters: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Madeleine Olnek) — Two lesbian hookers work the streets of New York. One is a down-on-her-luck newbie; the other is a beautiful—and straight—grifter who's an expert on picking up women. Together they face bargain-hunting housewives, double-dealing conservative women, and each other in this prostitute buddy comedy. Cast: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Alex Karpovsky, Susan Ziegler, Sally Sockwell, Deb Margolin.A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ana Lily Amirpour) — In the Iranian ghost town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, depraved denizens are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, Milad Eghbali. World Premiere.Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds. World Premiere.Land Ho! / U.S.A., Iceland (Directors and screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz) — A pair of ex-brothers-in-law set off to Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites. This bawdy adventure is a throwback to 1980s road comedies, as well as a candid exploration of aging, loneliness, and friendship. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Nelson, Alice Olivia Clarke, Karrie Krouse, Elizabeth McKee, Emmsjé Gauti. World Premiere.Listen Up Philip / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol's daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume. World Premiere.Memphis / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A strange singer drifts through the mythic city of Memphis, surrounded by beautiful women, legendary musicians, a stone-cold hustler, a righteous preacher, and a wolf pack of kids. Under a canopy of ancient oak trees and burning spirituality, his doomed journey breaks from conformity and reaches out for glory. Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson. World Premiere.Obvious Child / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre) — An honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant, just in time for the worst/best Valentine's Day of her life. Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind. World Premiere.Ping Pong Summer / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Tully) — 1985. Ocean City, Maryland. Summer vacation. Rap music. Parachute pants. Ping pong. First crushes. Best friends. Mean bullies. Weird mentors. That awkward, momentous time in your life when you're treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you're as funky fresh as it gets. Cast: Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet, Marcello Conte. World Premiere.War Story / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Jackson, Screenwriters: Kristin Gore, Mark Jackson) — A war photographer retreats to a small town in Sicily after being held captive during the conflict in Libya. Cast: Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Vincenzo Amato, Donatella Finocchiaro, Ben Kingsley. World Premiere.
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONAlive Inside: A Story of Music &amp; Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted. All the Beautiful Things / U.S.A. (Director: John Harkrider) — John and Barron are lifelong friends whose friendship is tested when Barron's girlfriend says Barron put a knife to her throat and raped her. Not knowing she has lied, John tells her to go to the police. Years later, John and Barron meet in a bar to resolve the betrayal.CAPTIVATED The Trials of Pamela Smart / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Jeremiah Zagar) — In an extraordinary and tragic American story, a small town murder becomes one of the highest profile cases of all time. From its historic role as the first televised trial to the many books and movies made about it, the film looks at the media’s enduring impact on the case. The Case Against 8 / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.Cesar's Last Fast / U.S.A. (Directors: Richard Ray Perez, Lorena Parlee) — Inspired by Catholic social teaching, Cesar Chavez risked his life fighting for America’s poorest workers. The film illuminates the intensity of one man’s devotion and personal sacrifice, the birth of an economic justice movement, and tells an untold chapter in the story of civil rights in America. Dinosaur 13 / U.S.A. (Director: Todd Miller) — The true tale behind one of the greatest discoveries in history. Day One film.E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field. Fed Up / U.S.A. (Director: Stephanie Soechtig) — Fed Up blows the lid off everything we thought we knew about food and weight loss, revealing a 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public, resulting in one of the largest health epidemics in history. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Knappenberger) — Programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz achieved groundbreaking work in social justice and political organizing. His passion for open access ensnared him in a legal nightmare that ended with the taking of his own life at the age of 26. Ivory Tower / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Rossi) — As tuition spirals upward and student debt passes a trillion dollars, students and parents ask, "Is college worth it?" From the halls of Harvard to public and private colleges in financial crisis to education startups in Silicon Valley, an urgent portrait emerges of a great American institution at the breaking point. Marmato / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Grieco) — Colombia is the center of a new global gold rush, and Marmato, a historic mining town, is the new frontier. Filmed over the course of nearly six years, Marmato chronicles how townspeople confront a Canadian mining company that wants the $20 billion in gold beneath their homes. No No: A Dockumentary / U.S.A. (Director: Jeffrey Radice) — Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter on LSD, then worked for decades counseling drug abusers. Dock's soulful style defined 1970s baseball as he kept hitters honest and embarrassed the establishment. An ensemble cast of teammates, friends, and family investigate his life on the field, in the media, and out of the spotlight. The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor's decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.Private Violence / U.S.A. (Director: Cynthia Hill) — One in four women experience violence in their homes. Have you ever asked, “Why doesn't she just leave?” Private Violence shatters the brutality of our logic and intimately reveals the stories of two women: Deanna Walters, who transforms from victim to survivor, and Kit Gruelle, who advocates for justice. Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds, and dream of a future of possibility. Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action. WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
52 Tuesdays / Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen. International Premiere.Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid's real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt. World Premiere.Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government's radar helping women and children until one young girl's legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere. World Premiere.The Disobedient / Serbia (Director and screenwriter: Mina Djukic) — Leni anxiously waits for her childhood friend Lazar, who is coming back to their hometown after years of studying abroad. After they reunite, they embark on a random bicycle trip around their childhood haunts, which will either exhaust or reinvent their relationship. Cast: Hana Selimovic, Mladen Sovilj, Minja Subota, Danijel Sike, Ivan Djordjevic. World Premiere.God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle &amp; Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Cora Bissett, Pierre Boulanger. World Premiere.Liar's Dice / India (Director and screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas) — Kamala, a young woman from the village of Chitkul, leaves her native land with her daughter to search for her missing husband. Along the journey, they encounter Nawazudin, a free-spirited army deserter with his own selfish motives who helps them reach their destination. Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta. International Premiere.Lilting / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn't speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie. World Premiere.
Lock Charmer (El cerrajero) / Argentina (Director and screenwriter: Natalia Smirnoff) — Upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant, 33-year-old locksmith Sebastian begins to have strange visions about his clients. With the help of an unlikely assistant, he sets out to use his newfound talent for his own good. Cast: Esteban Lamothe, Erica Rivas, Yosiria Huaripata. World Premiere.To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernandez Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who's barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge's son nearly dies, Kalule's sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna. World Premiere.Viktoria / Bulgaria, Romania (Director and screenwriter: Maya Vitkova) — Although determined not to have a child in Communist Bulgaria, Boryana gives birth to Viktoria, who despite being born with no umbilical cord, is proclaimed to be the baby of the decade. But political collapse and the hardships of the new time bind mother and daughter together. Cast: Irmena Chichikova, Daria Vitkova, Kalina Vitkova, Mariana Krumova, Dimo Dimov, Georgi Spassov. World Premiere.Wetlands / Germany (Director: David Wnendt, Screenwriters: Claus Falkenberg, David Wnendt, based on the novel by Charlotte Roche) — Meet Helen Memel. She likes to experiment with vegetables while masturbating and thinks that bodily hygiene is greatly overrated. She shocks those around her by speaking her mind in a most unladylike manner on topics that many people would not even dare consider. Cast: Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Meret Becker, Axel Milberg, Marlen Kruse, Edgar Selge. North American Premiere.White Shadow / Italy, Germany, Tanzania (Director: Noaz Deshe, Screenwriters: Noaz Deshe, James Masson) — Alias is a young albino boy on the run. His mother has sent him away to find refuge in the city after witnessing his father's murder. Over time, the city becomes no different than the bush: wherever Alias travels, the same rules of survival apply. Cast: Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu, Salum Abdallah. International Premiere.
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth &amp; Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit. World Premiere.Concerning Violence / Sweden, U.S.A., Denmark, Finland (Director: Göran Hugo Olsson) — Concerning Violence is based on newly discovered, powerful archival material documenting the most daring moments in the struggle for liberation in the Third World, accompanied by classic text from The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. World Premiere.The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries. World Premiere.
Happiness / France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki's eyes. North American Premiere.Love Child / South Korea, U.S.A. (Director: Valerie Veatch) — In Seoul in the Republic of Korea, a young couple stands accused of neglect when "Internet addiction" in an online fantasy game costs the life of their infant daughter. Love Child documents the 2010 trial and subsequent ruling that set a global precedent in a world where virtual is the new reality. World Premiere.Mr leos caraX / France (Director: Tessa Louise-Salomé) — Mr leos caraX plunges us into the poetic and visionary world of a mysterious, solitary filmmaker who was already a cult figure from his very first film. Punctuated by interviews and previously unseen footage, this documentary is most of all a fine-tuned exploration of the poetic and visionary world of Leos Carax, alias Mr. X. World Premiere.My Prairie Home / Canada (Director: Chelsea McMullan) — A poetic journey through landscapes both real and emotional, Chelsea McMullan’s documentary/musical offers an intimate portrait of transgender singer Rae Spoon, framed by stunning images of the Canadian prairies. McMullan’s imaginative visual interpretations of Spoon’s songs make this an unforgettable look at a unique Canadian artist. International Premiere.The Notorious Mr. Bout / U.S.A., Russia (Directors: Tony Gerber, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Viktor Bout was a war profiteer, an entrepreneur, an aviation tycoon, an arms dealer, and—strangest of all—a documentary filmmaker. The Notorious Mr. Bout is the ultimate rags-to-riches-to-prison memoir, documented by the last man you'd expect to be holding the camera. World Premiere.Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime's security forces. North American Premiere.SEPIDEH – Reaching for the Stars / Denmark (Director: Berit Madsen) — Sepideh wants to become an astronaut. As a young Iranian woman, she knows it’s dangerous to challenge traditions and expectations. Still, Sepideh holds on to her dream. She knows a tough battle is ahead, a battle that only seems possible to win once she seeks help from an unexpected someone. North American Premiere.We Come as Friends / France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends views colonization as a human phenomenon through both explicit and metaphoric lenses without oversimplified accusations or political theorizing. Alarmingly, It is not a historical film since colonization and the slave trade still exist. World Premiere.Web Junkie / Israel (Directors: Shosh Shlam, Hilla Medalia) — China is the first country to label “Internet addiction” a clinical disorder. Web Junkie investigates a Beijing rehab center where Chinese teenagers are deprogrammed. World Premiere.
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David Fincher must spend a lot of time on the subway, because he seems to choose his film prospects based on the subterranean transport system's most common reading material. The director has embraced a variety of nose-burying pandemics to produce beloved big screen productions like Fight Club, The Social Network, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (okay, not all were so beloved). Now, yet another piece of bestselling literature might find itself earning the Fincher touch: Deadline reports that the filmmaker is in talks to adapt the 2012 novel Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
The source material is none too far a stretch for Fincher, who dabbles regularly in the realms of psychological thriller and gritty drama. The story, which chronicles the plummet of a young couple's marriage as suspicions arise linking husband Nick to unsolved murders, feels like the kind of thing with which the dark sensibilities of Fincher might have a field day.
So now that Fincher is the big name to take hold of the camera, who could step in as stars Nick and Amy? (Considering the fact that Reese Witherspoon is on board as producer, we might not be too far off in believing that she has a shot at the lead female.)
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It's hard to become famous as a writer these days, especially as a good writer. Somehow David Sedaris has managed to do it (even if it is his sister Amy who appears on Letterman) with his books like and his essays in such respected periodicals as The New Yorker. However none of been made into a movie. Well, at least until now. C.O.G. which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival shows us why. Stories don't always make the best movies.
Based on one of his stories from the book Naked, this is the first time Sedaris has given permission to a filmmaker, in this case Kyle Patrick Alvarex to turn a story into a feature film. This essay shows David (played by Glee's Jonathan Groff) going to Oregon to work in an apple orchard to see how the other half lives. He changes his name to Samuel (of course, like a gay person, he is David and not Dave, Samuel and not Sam) and sleeps with the Mexican apple pickers. He eventually gets a promotion to the apple factory where he gets promoted again thanks to his new friend Curly (Corey Stoll). When David won't have sex with Curly he flees into the arms of unbalanced evangelist John (the always wonderful Dennis O'Hare) where he has to denounce his homosexuality and embrace god into his atheist heart.
The reason that many people read Sedaris is for the crazy situations he puts himself in, the humor that he gets out of them, and his off-kilter persona. Those are all present in the movie, and Groff does a wonderful job as a prissy Yale alum in this blue collar world. But there are other reasons to read Sedaris, like the insight he takes from his crazy situations. That is not in this movie at all. A long slog that should be a light series of events, David/Samuel never learns a lesson and we don't learn anything about him or about ourselves from start to finish. There is a lot of moving, but there is no journey.
My biggest problem though is that the central incident of the story, a night where Curly tries to have sex with David and he refuses thus putting him into peril is not believable at all. First of all, David has been flirting with Curly since before they even met. Secondly, Curly is crazy hot. He is the kind of butch factory trade that gay men from Broadway to West Hollywood dream about coming on to them in one of these situations. Why does David change his mind? Since that doesn't make sense, neither does anything that comes after.
But the main reason why people read Sedaris, of course, is the writing itself. He is a masterful craftsman of language. While some of the patter we can imagine he had in real life is evident in the movie (particularly the more engaging first half) his words are, of course, missing. Without that, the center does not hold. When the thing that made Sedaris famous is gone what we're left with is just another tale of a spoiled kid who never learns, and that isn't enough to get our attention.
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
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This year, Hollywood.com will once again be jetting off to Park City, Utah for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. For 10 days, the small mountain town becomes the epicenter for all things movies, with A-List stars and filmmakers from around the world congregating to get their taste of independent cinema.
Sundance plays host to movies big and small, with comedies starring our favorite funny people, dramas sporting famous faces ready to blow us away, and complete unknowns ready to emerge as the next Beasts of the Southern Wild. Just because you've never heard of the director, lead actor, or lead actress doesn't mean the movie and its crew won't be walking the red carpet at the Oscars next year. This is where the journey begins.
To prepare you for the discoveries to come, our two correspondents on the ground in Park City, Matt Patches and Brian Moylan, sifted through the hundreds of films playing the festival to whittle down a list of their most anticipated list. The top 10 has a little bit of everything — check out their picks and keep your eyes peeled for more Sundance coverage to come:
ACOD
We've seen Adam Scott and Amy Poehler fall in love on Parks and Recreation, but can we buy them as adversaries? Scott plays a befuddled guy (and inspiration for his shrink's self-help book) who is trying to broker peace between his long-divorced mother (Catherine O'Hara) and his father (Richard Jenkins), who is married to the zany Poehler. If this is half as funny as it sounds, it will be the funniest movie of the festival. — Moylan
Ass Backwards
Every Sundance has its handful of breakouts and with a costarring role in the David Sedaris adaptation C.O.G. and a prominent part (as well as co-writer credit) on the midnight premiere Ass Backwards, that festival star could be Casey Wilson. She's due for it too: a brief stint on Saturday Night Live led her to become a regular on Happy Endings, and now she has her own flick. Ass Backwards, which follows two women who "both tied for dead last in their hometown beauty paganent" way back when, sounds twisted in all the right ways. — Patches
Before Midnight
This past summer, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and director Richard Linklater headed to Summer to shoot the third entry in their "Before trilogy," the story that began with a romantic chance meeting in 1995's Before Sunrise and resurfaced for 2004's Before Sunset. Can the trio continue the magic by having the intertwined lives of Celine and Jesse connect again? With a heap of emotion invested in the fictitious pair, I sure hope so. — Patches
Blue Caprice
Sundance's NEXT category features a slate of low, low-budget films contending with the star-driven movies that have now become a staple. They're usually amazing too, which is why I'm keeping an eye on Blue Caprice, a black and white docudrama that puts us in the middle of the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks, all from the perspective of the shooters. My heart is racing already. — Patches
The East
Brit Marling and director Zal Batmanglij blew attendees minds in 2011 with their cult sci-fi thriller Sound of My Voice and they return this year to Sundance with a project that's equally mysterious. The East focuses on a contract worker infiltrating an eco-terrorist group — not too dissimilar sounding from Sound of My Voice. Marling returns, joined this time by Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgård. A larger scope should give Batmanglij more playing room, and even more of a chance to repeat their previous success. — Patches
Kill Your Darlings
Daniel Radcliffe makes his first Sundance appearance playing poet Allen Ginsberg during his days at Columbia University. With a bevy of great actors (including Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Elizabeth Olsen), Kill Your Darlings may approach the biopic with recognizable indie sensibilities, but it's on our radar just to see if Radcliffe has a real dramatic life after Potter. — Patches
NO
What do we want for Sundance? Socially conscious indies from around the world that make us think while being entertained, right? Well, that and pictures of celebs in ski gear. No one will be skiing in this Chilean movie where Gael Garcia Bernal plays a real-life ad man in the '80s who engineered a campaign to get voters to oust dictator Augusto Pinochet. This checks off every box in the Sundance requirements while seeming original at the same time. — Moylan
Prince Avalanche
After two misses with Your Highness and The Sitter, David Gordon Green returns to his indie roots for Prince Avalanche. Pairing two actors I can't help but love, Paul Rudd and Emilie Hirsch, the film should meld the director's penchant for comedy and past character study work. If it's a happy medium, it should be one of the festival's best. — Patches
The Spectacular Now
The addiction drama Smashed was one of the best movies to play 2012's festival. Director James Ponsoldt returns to Sundance with his next, The Spectacular Now, adapting similar themes (alcoholism appears to be an important part of the tale) to a story of adolescent relationships. Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, two up-and-comers with thoughtful work to their names, star, giving us hope that the movie digs deeper into youth culture than most Hollywood films would even allow. — Patches
Two Mothers
What's the only thing better than a movie about a woman falling in love with her best friend's son? A movie about two best friends falling in love with each other's sons! When the two mothers are played by Naomi Watts and Robin Wright (no more Penn) and directed by Anne Fontaine, it's sure to be a deep psychological insight about love and longing rather than the rom-com set up it sounds like. — Moylan
What movies are you looking forward to hearing more about? Check out the films announced to play Sundance and tell us!
Follow Matt Patches on Twitter @misterpatches
[Photo Credit: Benaroya Pictures]
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I have mixed feelings about the direction 30 Rock seems to be taking its final season. The show has always embraced an element of the political — in the second season, Jack’s romantic relationship with Vermont Senator C.C. Cunningham (Edie Falco) was complicated by his conservative standpoints and her liberal politics. Liz herself has been vocal about her left-leaning positions. Tracy voted for Nader. Bearing that in mind, it's not completely out of the show's wheelhouse to devote a story arc this year to the presidential election. However, it does seem like it is taking valuable time away from getting Liz and Jack to their long awaited story conclusions.
Two weeks back, Liz opted to sell her politics down the river by allowing Tracy to continue performing sketches as the fictional Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Gov. Dunston. Although initially created as a critical satire of the candidate, the TGS skits inadvertently ended up helping his campaign by humanizing the vile governor with a stature of comedic affability. Despite this revelation, Liz continued running the sketches due to the resultant ratings hike they afforded her show (which, incidentally, played a significant role in bolstering her sex life with boyfriend Criss). But this week, Liz is once again adhering to her convictions. She accompanies Jack to a political fundraiser, where he uses the reliably loudmouthed Liz to provoke on-the-fence Republicans to endorse the Romney campaign. Following this, Liz fights back by demanding more politically-biting sketches from her writing staff, and occasionally paying Jack a visit to bicker about the merit of her political ideals versus his, and the power of words and ideas versus that of money. They even both snag celebrity reps to win over the public: Jack pays off Don Cheadle to pose as a Romney supporter to win the black vote, and Liz brings on a truly hilarious, marshmallow-eating Kellan Lutz to attract young voters. It's all business as usual, really.
But then, an interesting revelation that will carry over into the next episode:
Liz and Jack both dive headfirst into an analysis of America's' presumed voting direction. Jack and his team of rich Romney supporters determine the undisputed eventual vote of each state via whatever secret resources and files of research they have at their disposal. Liz relies on another, equally reliable source: Tracy Jordan, who has done stand-up all across the country and can therefore determine unquestionably how each region will vote, based on the reactions he has gotten from audiences. For example: "North Carolina is not on board with a black man lecturing them," Tracy tells Liz. "I don't care if it's Obama talking about healthcare, or me talking about white butts. They are different than black butts." Scientific stuff. In the universe of 30 Rock, this will hold up in court.
But despite the expertise of Jack and Tracy alike, they both admit to the impossibility of determining the voting direction of one specific region in the United States: the Florida Panhandle. Combining the notorious unpredictability of Florida's voting direction in real life and the oddball sense of reality that 30 Rock has created for itself, the show goes into an in-depth breakdown of the state's demographic. Seeing Florida as comprised of "the Cubans of the south — very conservative," as Tracy explains, adding that he has "had a lot of expensive cigars put out on [him] in Miami comedy clubs," and the "Jewish retirees, serial killers, and secretly-gay Disney princes," of Central Florida, "all of whom love Obama," Jack affirms, the leaning of the state falls in the hands of the unpredictable Panhandlers: "elderly shut-ins, beach bums, bus passengers who ran out of money, swamp people, and pirates." Tracy sums it up: "These people don't like to be told what to do. They just want to sit on the beach and drink. Their motto is unwindulax." And that is where the revelation comes in.
See, Jenna Maroney (herself a Panhandle native) has become a goddess to the natives of northern Florida, thanks to her hit single "Catching Crabs in Paradise," which has won her the favor and dedicated following (literally, they're all parked outside the GE Building in this episode, getting drunk and unwindulaxing) of the populace—among them are characters played by Gary Cole and Amy Sedaris. These people love Jenna, and will do whatever she says. As such: cliffhanger!
Who will get to Jenna first? How will she use this unparalleled power to her advantage? Will anyone notice that this is the exact plotline of the Kevin Costner movie Swing Vote?
As said above, I'm not sold on the debate taking up such a larger presence in the final season. I want to see more character examination of Liz and Jack, individually and as a longtime rivalry-turned-best friendship (work husband/uncle and coworker/little brother, if you want to pigeonhole the relationship). Hopefully, this faceoff will work toward saying something about their insuperable need for one another.
[Photo Credit: Ali Goldstein/NBC]
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When you think of the gayest shows on TV you probably think of something like Glee that not only has a slew of openly-gay characters and actorsbut also has the added benefit of having used every single in the Katy Perry songbook at least once (and twice for "Teenage Dream"). That's gayer than Liza Minnelli's florist. You might also think of one of the new gay family dramas like The New Normal or Partners, where gay men are in committed relationships and trying to have children. You might even think about a reality show that every homosexual worth his rainbow-flag bumper sticker watches, like the Real Housewives of Every City or RuPaul's Drag Race. You wouldn't think of the real gayest show: The Good Wife.
Yes, honestly. This CBS procedural about a woman who stands by her politician husband after he is caught having sex with hookers (I know, sounds real gay) has stealthily become a queer haven on Sunday nights. And now it's adding Gay's...oh, I mean Grey's Anatomy vet T.R. Knight to the show for a guest spot. He's in good company. Alan Cumming, who has been openly gay for years, has been a series regular for the past couple seasons playing campaign strategist Eli Gold. Nathan Lane, who gayed up Broadway and The Birdcage, has been doing a multiple-episode arc this season as the bankrupt law firm's court-appointed custodian. John Benjamin Hickey also keeps popping up as the Mark Zuckerberg-esque owner of a website called ChumHum. And that's not even mentioning honorary gay Christine Baranski who will always be an icon for her gin-soaked turn on Cybill all those years ago.
What is going on over there? It's starting to look gayer than Neil Patrick Harris hosting the Tonys! And this is CBS – a network that's always getting in trouble for not having enough gay characters. Maybe that's because none of the gay actors who are on The Good Wife are playing people of their own sexual orientation. At least, that we know of. Cumming's Gold is straight, formerly married to Parker Posey, and had a liaison with Amy Sedaris (two of the only women gay men would think about sleeping with, anyway). Knight's character is still not defined, and Lane and Hickey's characters have never really talked about their personal lives on camera. No one can say that these guys are being typecast. There is a gay character, or at least a bisexual, on the show. Kalinda is a voracious omnisexual who will devour men as well as women and is played by the straight (in IRL) Archie Panjabi, who got herself an Emmy for her trouble.
Maybe this is what the future of television looks like. The Good Wife never shies away from a gay story line (see: Sunday night's episode, which turned a murder into a possible hate crime) and deals with themes and scenes of same-sex loving all the time thanks to Kalinda. It also has a whole stable of gay men, most of them playing heterosexuals or at least guys who are defined by their work rather than who they want to go home to after their jobs are done. This is integration. This is equality. This is what gay activists are fighting for. Who ever thought the future of gay rights would be seen first on a CBS procedural?
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
[Photo Credit: CBS]
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Began performing with brother David at the famed improv troupe Second City

Film debut in small role in "Commandments"

Cast opposite John Travolta and Robin Williams in "Old Dogs"

Cast in a recurring role on USA's quirky detective series "Monk"

Had recurring role as a book publisher on the HBO sitcom "Sex and the City"

Guest-hosted CBS' "The Late Late Show" to fill in for the departed Craig Kilborn

Had recurring role on the NBC sitcom "Just Shoot Me"

Appeared in the comedy "My Baby's Daddy"

In early 1990s, relocated to NYC

Appeared on the big screen in "Six Days, Seven Nights"

In the 1980s, moved to Chicago

Was featured in Paul Rudnick's off-Broadway play "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told"

Summary

Like many other great comic talents, writer/actress/author Amy Sedaris honed her skills at Chicago's famed Second City Theater before making her mark as a comedienne. Her bizarre role on Comedy Central's cult favorite, "Strangers with Candy" (1999-2000) became the defining role of her career. Although many of her other roles demonstrated her range and allowed her to "dial down the crazy" a bit, her "Candy" character of Jerri Blank best exemplified her own eccentric personality and endeared her to the masses by its sheer oddity.